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Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972)
on their wedding day]] Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972) was the acting general secretary for the Young Men's Christian Association; and later a worker at the American Sisalkraft Company. (b. January 13, 1886; Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA - d. September 14, 1972; Oakland, Alameda County, California, 94602, USA) Social Security Number 545015294. Parents *Peder Matthias Olsen (1849-1896) *Anne Marie Jensen (1854-1896) Birth He was born on January 13, 1886 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois as "Peter Olsen". Annus horribilis His father was assaulted in 1895 and left with a head injury that left him incapacitated. He died in the 1896 heat wave. His wife died the same year from cancer and Perry and his siblings were orphaned. His paternal uncle, Theodore Johan Olsen (1850-1896) then raised the children. He was hit by a train just three months later. A maternal aunt, Johanne Katrine Jensen (1856-1912), then raised the children. Siblings *Jennie Marie Olsen (1881-1966) who was born in May of 1881 and married Paul Henry Henning I (1881-1973) and moved to Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She died on April 3, 1966. *Osborne Theomun Olsen (1883-1971) aka Asbjorn T. Olsen, owner of Osborne Art Studios in Chicago which existed from 1910 to 1973, who married Augusta Schmidt (1883-1974) aka Gussie Schmidt *Harriet Theodora Olsen (1889-?) who was born in March of 1889. Marriage Perry married Dorothy Frances Penfield (1887-1976) on June 17, 1912. She was born on January 31, 1887 to George Franklin Penfield (1852-1911) and Adelaide Frances Sherman (1853-1938) in Rockford, Illinois. Children *Dorothy Genevieve Olsen (1914-1987). She married Donald Graham. *Marjorie Elizabeth Olsen (1917-1996) who married Wallace Herbert Higginbotham (1916-1990) *Perry Arthur Olsen (1925-2009), a physician Chicago, Illinois They appear in the 1900 United States Census living in Chicago, Illinois in the home of their aunt: Katherine Jensen (1857-?) who was born in December of 1857 who married Steffan Barca (c1855-c1900). Oakland, California He moved to Oakland, California in 1906 "when he came west with the Southern Pacific Railroad". He appears as a boarder in the 1910 US census. World War I He registered for the draft on September 12, 1918 while working at the YMCA at 2101 Telegraph in Oakland. He was living with his wife at 320 Santa Clara Avenue in Oakland. Perry had blue eyes and red hair. Chicago He may also appear back in Chicago in 1920 selling flowers. World War II By the time of the World War II draft in 1942 he was working in Oakland, California for the Sisal Kraft Company. The company had its headquarters at 205 West Wacker Drive in Chicago. Death He died on September 14, 1972, in Oakland, Alameda County, California. His remains were donated to medical science. Memories about Perry Olsen *Bette Parker Patten wrote in 2006: "Perry Olson spent his adult life in Oakland, Alameda County, California with his wife, Dorothy and children. He passed away September 14, 1972. My Dad did correspond with him on occasion, but I was little at the time." *Sue Higginbotham Chadwick wrote in 2014: "Perry Maranius Olsen was my dear Grandpa. He did have red hair and blue eyes. I recall that one of his eyes was glass, but other than it not opening the same or tracking like the other eye you wouldn't have realized it wasn't his real eye. His daughter Dorothy was born 21 Aug 1914 and my mother, Marjorie, was born 25 Mar 1916. Grandpa was orphaned at the age of 9 and was raised by his Aunt Katherine, who was deaf. He lived with her (or she lived with him in the family home - I'm not sure which) until he was 20 years old. He sold newspapers to help support the family. During the Great Depression of 1929, Grandpa's childhood friend, Art Anderson, offered him the opportunity to buy stock in a reinforced paper company he was forming and the chance to be the Western representative of that company. The main office was in Chicago and Grandpa became the Western Manager, traveling throughout 7 western states. He became a very successful businessman with the Sisalkraft paper company. A couple of years before Grandpa passed away, he spent a few hours sharing with me details of his life. He said he enjoyed playing basketball, marbles and football when he was a young man. Children were perhaps his greatest love. He took time to take us to the park to play or feel the ducks. He enjoyed entertaining children with his magic tricks and was very generous with his financial resources. We spent many hours playing 'Rummy' and Grandpa would always help me wash dishes after dinner. I suppose there was no one in my childhood that was dearer to my heart than my Grandpa Olsen. He was a gentle, kind man who spent hours telling me of 'Uncle Wiggley' and the 'Skillery Skallery Alligator'." *Sue Higginbotham Chadwick wrote on January 31, 2014: "I awoke early this morning to type up my notes from August of 1972, taken shortly before my Grandpa’s very unexpected death. I flew to California for my cousin, Marilyn Graham Burnham’s,(his granddaughter's) funeral. At that time I sat in my grandpa’s dining room and asked him about his life. I have kept those notes and in 1990 put together a book, “From the Mayflower to Me” about my ancestors from Edward Doty, who came on the Mayflower, to my grandchildren, 14 generations. It was a gift to my Mom in 1996 for her 80th birthday. She reviewed my writing and we made corrections. There was only a short section about the Olsen family as Grandpa came into the Sherman/Penfield family. Here is what I wrote: “When the San Francisco earthquake hit, Perry Olsen was working for Chicago Northwestern Railroad. He and his “double cousin” Leif were assigned to Oakland for 2 years. They got room in a boarding house and the first Sunday he attended the Congregational Church. The next Sunday he attended the Baptist Church and the rest is history. Dorothy Penfield and Perry Olsen were married on June 17, 1912. Grandpa Olsen worked 9 years as a general secretary for the Y.M.C.A. before World War I. Then he began working for Sisalkraft, a paper company, and he had 7 western states to cover. The Perry Olsen family moved back to New York for a time and then the Sisalkraft Company sent them to Chicago to live. Grandpa said he moved back to California to please Grandma. My Mother was about 5 years old when they returned to Oakland Grandpa’s father was an artist. (I remember originally writing the word “painter” as that was how he was listed in a census record I found and my Mom corrected me – no the was an artist). Back to the story ... Grandpa’s father had been beaten senseless and lived for perhaps a year as an invalid after that. Three months after Peter Olsen’s death, his wife, Maria, (or Mary as she was called) died of what some said was a broken heart. There were 4 children left to raise. Grandpa’s Uncle Theodore (his father’s brother) was the first mate on a steamer on Lake Michigan and he stayed each winter at Grandpa’s house. When Grandpa’s parents died, Uncle Theodore kept the children. Three months later the uncle was killed by a train. At this time the oldest child in Grandpa’s family was 16. They were fearful that their home would have to be sold and the family split up. However, the children were able to move in with their Aunt Katherine, "a deaf mute", who Grandpa lived with until he was about 20 years old. He sold newspapers to help support the family.” Today I’m transcribing from the notes written Aug 1972 that haven’t been edited by my mom. I just made brief notes as grandpa talked. In my notes I wrote that when their parents died, Aunt Katherine came to live with them to keep the family together. I wrote it the other way around in the book and Mom didn’t correct that. Hum…. Grandpa’s father was known in Norway as Peter, son of Olie. His brothers were Peter, Theodore, Otto. Grandpa’s sister was Lena (pronounced Leena). She married Grandpa’s mother’s brother and they had 9 children. Grandpa’s mother was Maria and she had two sisters Molly and Katherine, and just one brother, Hans (Henry) who had a mustache, he was jolly and liked to “slip them money”. Henry married Maggie, who was Irish. He left Maggie in England and the family didn’t know about her until Uncle Henry died. Then they learned about his daughter, Linda Wolley. My great grandparents had 6 children. All of grandpa’s uncles were singers. They sang in Norwegian. Whether these were maternal or paternal uncles, I don’t know, but they must have been living in or around Chicago when Grandpa was growing up. Uncle John Jensen had the best wife. She had no accent. They had 2 aunts who babysat at the house. They learned to understand, not talk English. "Mother’s sister Molly was one who babysat at the house." The other was Uncle John’s wife. To further elaborate on Great Grandpa Peter Matthias Olsen. What I was told by Mom was that he was walking home from work one night and was beaten senseless. From that time he was bedridden for nearly a year. His wife took care of him and he was unable to work. I see her death certificate lists cancer as the reason for her death, but the family story was that she died of “a broken heart” 3 months after her husband's death. Grandma and Grandpa met in church. At the end of 2 years cousin Leif went back and Grandpa too. Jenny and Harriet too. Harriet met Harold (Smith) who worked for the railroad and they were married. Jenny met Paul in Chicago and married. (Sorry these notes were rather cryptic and I’m unable to elaborate further). I know Jenny and Harriet were Grandpa’s only sisters and he must have been talking about them." Updates Updated on September 14, 2009 by Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ) with information from the WWII draft registration and his obituary. External links *Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972) at Wikidata *Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972) at Findagrave *Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972) at Geni *Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972) at Familysearch (free registration required to view) Documents File:Olsen-Perry 1886 birth.png|1886 Illinois birth certificate, Perry was born as Peter Olsen File:Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972) Cook County birth certificate reissued in 1974.jpg|1886 Cook County birth certificate File:1900 census Olsen Barca 2.gif|1900 census in Chicago File:Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972) and Dorothy Frances Penfield (1887-1976) marriage record.jpg|1912 marriage in Oakland, California File:Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972) in the Oakland YMCA publication on January 30, 1913.jpg|1913 YMCA biography File:Olsen-Perry undated letter page1of2.png|1968 (circa) letter, page 1 of 2 File:Olsen-Perry undated letter page2of2.png|1968 (circa) letter, page 2 of 2 File:Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972) death certificate.png|1972 death certificate Images File:Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972) 1904 baseball team.png|1904 baseball team File:Perry Maranius Olsen (1885-1972) and Dorothy Frances Penfield (1887-1976) on their wedding day.jpg|1912 June 17 Perry Maranius Olsen (1885-1972) and Dorothy Frances Penfield (1887-1976) on their wedding day File:Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972) circa 1910-1920.png|1920 circa File:50th Anniversary Olsen Family 1962.jpg|1962 Perry and Dorothy Frances Penfield and their children and grandchildren Category:Non-SMW people articles Category:Perry Maranius Olsen (1886-1972)